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Wrapping up a brutal seven-games-in-seven-days stretch played in record-setting heat, Damascus Post 171 did just enough for its fourth straight win in American Legion baseball competition, a 6-1 victory over Wheaton Post 268 on Friday at Damascus Recreational Park.

For six of those seven games, three of which were last weekend in a wood-bat tournament in Frederick, Post 171 (11-7) relied on its formidable offense, consistently putting up double-digit run totals.

But as the temperatures cooled Friday, so did the Damascus bats, thanks to Wheaton (5-15) pitcher Bobby Stouffer, who frustrated the power hitters in the Post 171 lineup with an array of off-speed pitches.

Yet he was overshadowed by an unlikely source for Post 171: Drew Knapp. The team's regular third baseman, Knapp had a relief appearance in the weekend tournament and impressed enough to get the start against Post 268. He may have earned future starts with his dominant performance.

"I was just trying to throw it in the strike zone," Knapp said. "My curveball was working really well today, so I kept throwing it."

Knapp kept Post 268 at bay all game; the only run came in the first inning when a throwing error following Kevin Taney's single allowed Anatoly Moschkin to score. Knapp settled in and did not allow a Wheaton runner in scoring position until the seventh inning.

Damascus did get out to the early lead, thanks to West Virginia University-bound Ryan McGuigan's screaming double to deep left-center, which plated Jake Stockinger.

Moschkin nearly caught up to McGuigan's rocket, and was instrumental in limiting the damage in the first and second innings with spectacular running catches on Anthony Papio and McGuigan.

Knapp was helped by double plays in the fourth and fifth innings, each of which ended the frame.

The advantage was 3-1 through five and a half innings, with the top of Wheaton's order due up in the seventh. Not content with the slim margin, Post 171 tacked on three insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.

The runs scored not on extra-base hits, but instead with bunts, walks, opponents' errors and sacrifices, a different box score than what most of Damascus' big innings produce. The additional cushion allowed a tiring Knapp to come out for the complete game, a gem of a performance that allowed one unearned run and three hits, all singles.

Currently occupying the fourth and final playoff spot in the Montgomery Division by the slimmest of margins, Damascus knows every subsequent game is a must-win with Gaithersburg Post 295 breathing down everyone's necks.

"It'll be interesting because [Cissel Saxon Post 41] has some make-ups and they can be difficult," said Post 171 manager Tommy Davis. "So it's our rearview mirror, but there's not much distance, and 295's waiting for anybody to stumble."